November 2016

Dear Friend,

I am pleased to present my electronic newsletter. These e-newsletters
enable me to provide information about issues, events and activities in
Harrisburg and around the 21st Senatorial District to you in a timely manner
while saving postage costs.

If you find this e-newsletter useful, I invite you to visit my website
www.senatorscotthutchinson.com
for more information about your state government. If you do not wish to receive
these e-newsletters, please click the “unsubscribe” button at the bottom of the
page.

Sincerely,

Scott

Venango, Franklin Chambers Visit Harrisburg

Representative Lee James and I were pleased to meet with members of the
Venango and Franklin Area Chambers of Commerce during their recent visit to
their State Capitol. We hosted a luncheon for the members and spoke with them
about issues impacting businesses in Venango County.

Department of Education Releases 2016 School Performance Profiles

The state Department of Education released its 2016 School Performance
Profile (SPP) scores on October 13. The scores are available on the PA School
Performance website
http://paschoolperformance.org/.

The 2016 SPP follows a year-long pause in the calculation of scores for a
majority of Pennsylvania schools last year, which was put in place to mitigate
the unintended impacts of changes in student performance on the newly aligned
Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA). This year’s SPP scores are the
first to reflect student performance on the new, more rigorous PSSA.

Video Helps Consumers Prevent Internet Fraud, ID Theft

The State Department of Banking & Securities recently released a new video to
help consumers protect themselves from identity theft or fraud over the
Internet. The video, which can be found on Facebook (
http://bit.ly/2dvkOQK) and YouTube (
http://bit.ly/2dUZVOr), addresses issues such as:

How to protect yourself when shopping online;

How to create safe and secure passwords;

What software you should avoid downloading to your computer;

What kind of Wi-Fi networks you should avoid; and

What to do if you become a victim of fraud or identity theft.

Young Constituent Visits State Capitol

I was extremely pleased to meet my young constituent, Kierra Oyler, 10, a
fifth grader attending the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, when she
and her classmates visited the State Capitol.

LIHEAP Applications Now Being Accepted

Individuals and families who are having trouble with their energy bills this
winter can apply now for the state’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

The program provides grants to help low-income families pay heating bills.
LIHEAP also provides crisis grants for families who experience heating
emergencies, such as a broken furnace, utility termination or fuel shortage.
Regular applications for the program will be accepted through April 1.

LIHEAP applications can be completed online on the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at
www.compass.state.pa.us. More
information is also available by calling the statewide toll-free LIHEAP hotline
at (866) 857-7095.

In order to apply for LIHEAP, applicants will be required to submit the names
of all people in the household, Social Security numbers for all household
members, proof of income for all household members and a recent heating bill.

Consumers should also contact their utility companies to learn more about
other programs available to ensure that all local residents will be able to stay
warm this winter. Many local utility companies offer assistance plans in
addition to LIHEAP.

Beware of Increased Deer Activity on Roadways

With deer becoming increasingly active, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is
advising motorists to slow down and stay alert.

Deer become more active in autumn with the lead-up to their fall breeding
season, commonly referred to as the “rut.” When daylight saving time ends Nov.
6, there also will be increased vehicular traffic between dusk and dawn – the
peak hours for deer activity.

Drivers can reduce their chances of collisions with deer by staying alert and
paying particular attention while driving on stretches marked with “Deer
Crossing” signs. Deer often travel in family groups and walk single file. So
even if one deer successfully crosses the road in front of a driver, it doesn’t
mean the threat is over. Another could be right behind it.

To report a dead deer for removal from state roads, motorists can call the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation at 1-800-FIX-ROAD.